Why should I fear it?

[Hopefully]

Hi Monica,

now that I know Jesus I don’t fear death, but I find it disappointing because we were not made to die. But it must happen, it’s punishment for sin.

 I don’t want to leave my son here but I know God loves him more than me. 

Nobody really knows but I think when I die I will be at rest til judgement day. Sort of like the state I’m in when I’m deep sleeping. A state where time doesn’t exist.

[Ani Tefillah]

12 minutes ago, Hopefully said:

Hi Monica,

now that I know Jesus I don’t fear death, but I find it disappointing because we were not made to die. But it must happen, it’s punishment for sin.

 I don’t want to leave my son here but I know God loves him more than me. 

Nobody really knows but I think when I die I will be at rest til judgement day. Sort of like the state I’m in when I’m deep sleeping. A state where time doesn’t exist.

I'm glad to hear that you don't fear death. 😊 

Personally, I believe that my spirit and soul will go Home to Abba Father in Heaven (Paradise?) when I "die" and leave this mortal body behind me. 

And I am daily looking forward to that moment, as my heart is already up there where my real Home is, but it will happen in His perfect timing. 

[Marathoner]

19 hours ago, MonicaWife said:

Shalom! 

I was thinking about something... 

I used to fear the death a little, until I walked in the "valley of the shadow of death" last December, and Abba Father gave me a glimpse of Heaven through a inner vision. 

Today, I can't feel any fear of death anymore, but I am rather looking forward to the glorious day when I am going Home! 😊 

Death is swallowed up in victory, isn't it, so why should we fear it? 

Do you fear the death? 

I've been in that place as well, dear sister. I was sick for two years and in the end, when I thought I was dead, the Lord was with me. How can I forget that day? 

We have nothing to fear in Jesus Christ.  

[Sower]

19 hours ago, MonicaWife said:

Do you fear the death? 

I think I do about as much as about  any average person, which is I think is 'normal'. Maybe not fear, but avoidance..
God gave us key biological drives or instincts, in everyone, starting with preservation-procreation-social interaction, etc.
We all have this drive to continue life, living, and is natural. (flesh/self preservation)
So I'm not feeling guilty about feelings my creator instilled within me. (Same with procreation)
When I was born from above, something changed, and light came in and my future eternal destination became clear.
I discovered truth. Like the Blade quoted above,

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

I didn't throw away the band-aids and medicine or doctor visits.
I know the time is short and am packing as many sheaves as possible.

This running the race clarifies within me my future standing before God;    empty hands, or,  sheaves/gifts/crowns to lay.
I try not to become absorbed about the when and how. Have already told God I accept it, and not to listen to my whining when it actually happens. Time is short at my age and (True) reality is actually a friend. I'm as scared as the next, but still full of joy.
Sounds confusing but I know our Abba understands.
Hope to continue to focus on the now to be ready for the when.

 

[Starise]

I have many unanswered questions about death, or the process of dying. I am sad that when loved ones depart the connection between us and them is severed until or unless we see them again.

Anyone who has lost a close loved one knows the feeling of having a person so close one day and gone, never to be seen on this earth the next.

I really WISH that connection wasn't severed. With a married couple you have two people living with one another. In an instant that familiarity , that relationship is gone and life is turned upside down. Now you are a widow or a widower. Same with close friends or any family.

I hate to see disease slowly kill a person. I have seen it numerous times. I am fully aware this might be my end one day. A strong man who was once very able turns into a helpless individual who needs pain killers and is bed ridden. I had to watch nurses take a breathing tube out of my dad's throat, give him meds to help the death process and watch him slowly suffocate to death over maybe 5 minutes. The person attempts to breathe but can't, so they lay there struggling to breath before dying. It isn't a pretty thing to have to watch, especially when I gave the permission for them to do it. He was beyond hope and would live on a machine the rest of his life.

I believe Jesus felt this pain in the story of Lazarus and even wept.

The closer a believer gets to death, the more I think God prepares us for what is to come. I compare it to the time I jumped out of an airplane. We feel secure in our earthly life and like that plane we are reluctant to leave it even though we know we have a parachute and a backup chute. There is a time to hold on and a time to jump. Unfortunately we don't get to choose exactly when that is, and frankly, if I had the choice in my own death what would I choose? I don't like any of it. If an angel showed up and said to me, " we have a few options available, would you prefer a heart attack or cancer? How about liver or kidney failure? " My answer would be- Can we just postpone this for awhile yet?

[missmuffet]

22 hours ago, MonicaWife said:

Shalom! 

I was thinking about something... 

I used to fear the death a little, until I walked in the "valley of the shadow of death" last December, and Abba Father gave me a glimpse of Heaven through a inner vision. 

Today, I can't feel any fear of death anymore, but I am rather looking forward to the glorious day when I am going Home! 😊 

Death is swallowed up in victory, isn't it, so why should we fear it? 

Do you fear the death? 

No, I don't fear death because I am a believer and I know where my eternity is going to be. Even though the Christian knows where they are going a human still has an unlying concern with not having experienced something before. Even though we know where we are going. It is the unbeliever who should be shaking in their boots.

[Sower]

1 hour ago, Starise said:

I hate to see disease slowly kill a person. I have seen it numerous times. I am fully aware this might be my end one day.

For myself I don't think actual death is feared. It's the dying that I'm concerned about.
I have told God I would accept it now, before I get weirdo when it comes.

1 hour ago, Starise said:

I believe Jesus felt this pain in the story of Lazarus and even wept.

I have always thought that verse is the most profound in scripture.

[debrakay]

I believe that the followers of Christ should not have any fear of death because of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.  A Christian either believes that our bodies are resurrected to new life by the love, power, and promise of our Savior or not.  Sitting on the fence is not acceptable.  The fear seems to come when we think about how that last breath of life will happen.  The suffering part. If we are in our car and get hit by a truck and the death is instant there is no suffering for us but those who love us will suffer the loss of us not being by their physical sides.  My children and grandchildren will still hear my words long after I am gone because I have spoken into their lives since the beginning.   Exactly what Jesus has done for us!

My poor mother suffered for 10 years with the ravages of Alzheimer's to her brain but had a very strong body.  The first few years she understood what was happening and was in denial but as time progressed she forgot everything.  She did not know she was suffering because her thoughts and feelings were dissolving with her mind and memories.  Her body only suffered in the final months as chewing and swallowing left her.  It was a hard time for the family as we knew the end was close.  So while I do not fear death I fear more that I may do the same to my children.  Anyone with a debilitating disease knows suffering. 

Currently I am struggling along side my husband who has been ravaged by severe Rheumatoid Arthritis for 50 years. He also has Emphysema and COPD from working in a saw mill for 40 years breathing in metal grindings while sharpening saws.  He is almost 81 and every day we thank the Lord for each day.  His days of any kind of travel are over.  He struggles to breath and move every day.  I am along side to help with whatever I can but watching and hearing the struggles are very hard.  I have been telling family and friends we just try to find the speck of joy in the day.  He is ready to stop life as soon as the Lord says so!  His struggle and fear is leaving me alone, without my earthly helpmate/soulmate, after 40 years.  

The journey of life is a wonderful blessing that so many do not get to experience.  I often think about the millions and millions of aborted babies that were not allowed to experience one day of life.  I hope when my last breath is taken that my family and friends rejoice that I am home with Jesus and that I am helping get the banquet ready for when they show up!!  

[Ani Tefillah]

10 minutes ago, debrakay said:

I believe that the followers of Christ should not have any fear of death because of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.  A Christian either believes that our bodies are resurrected to new life by the love, power, and promise of our Savior or not.  Sitting on the fence is not acceptable.  The fear seems to come when we think about how that last breath of life will happen.  The suffering part. If we are in our car and get hit by a truck and the death is instant there is no suffering for us but those who love us will suffer the loss of us not being by their physical sides.  My children and grandchildren will still hear my words long after I am gone because I have spoken into their lives since the beginning.   Exactly what Jesus has done for us!

My poor mother suffered for 10 years with the ravages of Alzheimer's to her brain but had a very strong body.  The first few years she understood what was happening and was in denial but as time progressed she forgot everything.  She did not know she was suffering because her thoughts and feelings were dissolving with her mind and memories.  Her body only suffered in the final months as chewing and swallowing left her.  It was a hard time for the family as we knew the end was close.  So while I do not fear death I fear more that I may do the same to my children.  Anyone with a debilitating disease knows suffering. 

Currently I am struggling along side my husband who has been ravaged by severe Rheumatoid Arthritis for 50 years. He also has Emphysema and COPD from working in a saw mill for 40 years breathing in metal grindings while sharpening saws.  He is almost 81 and every day we thank the Lord for each day.  His days of any kind of travel are over.  He struggles to breath and move every day.  I am along side to help with whatever I can but watching and hearing the struggles are very hard.  I have been telling family and friends we just try to find the speck of joy in the day.  He is ready to stop life as soon as the Lord says so!  His struggle and fear is leaving me alone, without my earthly helpmate/soulmate, after 40 years.  

The journey of life is a wonderful blessing that so many do not get to experience.  I often think about the millions and millions of aborted babies that were not allowed to experience one day of life.  I hope when my last breath is taken that my family and friends rejoice that I am home with Jesus and that I am helping get the banquet ready for when they show up!!  

I'm sorry to hear about your husband. 😔 

Even if I don't fear death for myself anymore, I must say that I am not sure how I should tackle it if Abba Father chose to take my husband Home before me. Just thinking about it makes me cry 😢, because I would miss him so much! It is selfish, but I can't help it, but I know that the Lord will help me out if so be. 

I'm praying that He will take us Home at the same time, if possible. 😊 I know about a couple who prayed for this, and the Lord took them Home only with a 3 hours distance. 

[Marathoner]

The Lord knows.

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our form;
He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
(Psalm 103:12-14 NASB)

He knows the infirmities of this body, that we live with pain and suffering, so no one should be ashamed that the process of dying elicits a certain measure of fear. I learned much from my brush with the grave.

The process of dying isn't pleasant, especially when it's a lengthy affair. I was concerned with how it rendered me helpless, making it necessary for my adopted mother to assume tasks that I handled before illness robbed me of strength and endurance.  The pain paled before that reality because her health was on the decline by that time in her life. She needed me more than ever, but I was on my way out of this world. 

This, more than physical pain and the symptoms I suffered from, was the source of my agony. Therefore, when the Lord came on my last day and lifted me up, reversing the illness that had ravaged this body so that I was no longer dying, I understood the significance of what He had done. God didn't do this for my sake. 

He did it so His name might be glorified... He did it for the sake of my adopted mother... and He did it because it wasn't my appointed time. There was work to be done, so Christ equipped me to walk in it. 

He did this just in time. My adopted mother was greatly astonished to witness the work of God and shortly after my recovery, she was bedridden with cancer. Christ honored me with the privilege of serving her just as she served me. Yes, she suffered with pain and I was there when she passed from this world. She lapsed into a coma for two days before her heart beat for the last time.

I maintain that our passing from this earth is the mercy and blessing of God, that we do not endure in this flesh and blood body forever. Praise the Lord! 

Edited April 20, 2022 by Marathoner